Brian Holl

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there, but in spite of my restraint, I was almost certain she
wasn t wearing a bra.
I hope you don t mind. She pointed to a thick volume.
I borrowed this one from your library.
While Glen made coffee, I walked over to see what book
she found so interesting. It was a really old one, the spine
cracked and the binding mouse-chewed until the only thing
holding it together was several strips of duct tape. In spite of
the eighteenth-century date inscribed inside the front cover,
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61
the seller had let it go cheap& partly because of its
condition, but also because he thought it contained nothing
but gibberish. I couldn t read it, either, but it still interested
me. No one else I d consulted, not even the profs on the
museum staff, had been able to decipher the odd words or
even to tell me in what language they were written. I hadn t
shelved it, and it had lain forgotten in a box in the corner of
the library. I wondered how Lila had found it.
You can read that? I asked.
Sure. She nodded. No big mystery. It s English, only
written in code. I ve seen others like it.
You have?
Yes, it s a grimoire& one witch s personal spell book.
She turned to Glen, who was at the counter pouring coffee.
There are muffins, if you re interested.
Glen and I ate bran muffins, along with coffee and
orange juice, at the breakfast bar. I had better luck digesting
the food than Lila s explanation. I owned a spell book? What
on Earth had made me buy such a thing?
Glen only glanced at the pile of books and papers on his
way out to the garage. He planned to spend his Sunday in
preparations for our mountain expedition, which included
changing the oil in the Explorer, checking its brakes, and
other such practical stuff I knew little about. Glen also had
quite a collection of outdoor items: backpacks and canteens
and the like. I was never much for hiking, so I d leave it to
him to choose what we might need.
I started the dishwasher, then looked at the loaded table
in the center of the kitchen.
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62
Um& Lila, you can use any place you want to spread
out your stuff. There are lots of rooms upstairs, maybe some
bigger tables or a desk. I can clear out a whole room for you
if you like. I know the house isn t as clean as it could be, but
I do know how to use a broom. I hadn t thought about our
state of housekeeping when we invited Lila. Damn, how
embarrassing. Oh, and thanks for making breakfast, but it
really isn t necessary for you to cook. I can always defrost
something.
She smiled. I m not much for cleaning, myself. You
should see my place. I like to cook, though. There are lots of
similarities between cooking and witchcraft.
I nodded, though I didn t know if she was teasing me or
not. The mind-reading thing seemed to go only one way.
I think your kitchen will do quite nicely; there s plenty
of room here and lots of good light. Is that okay with you?
We can eat at the breakfast bar.
I shrugged. Why not?
So, that s a spell book? I asked, taking another look at
the old, dusty volume.
Uh-huh. Lila dug under the layers of paper. Like this
one. She brought out an even larger book, maybe twelve by
eighteen, obviously not new, but in much better shape than
the one from my library. It was beautifully bound in deep red
leather and embossed here and there with suns, moons, and
other esoteric-looking symbols.
This one s mine.
I was intrigued in spite of myself.
Does every witch have her own spell book?
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63
Lila nodded. If he or she is serious about their craft,
they do. She gave me her teasing smile. And, in case you
wondered, witches come in the male variety, too. Outsiders
sometimes say warlock for the guys, but to us we re all
witches.
Oh, I said. Lila always seemed capable of making me
feel more than a little bit stupid. I tried again.
Why would every witch need a personal spell book?
Wouldn t copies of one book, with all the spells written in it,
be enough?
Lila poured herself some coffee and then perched on a
stool at the counter, crossing one ankle over the opposite [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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